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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Blog Everyday in May: Day 15


Day 15: A Day in the Life

Don't get your hopes up on this one folks. 
A day in the life of Carissa Townsend is far from riveting.

1.) Wake up between 6-7 (7:30 if I'm feeling suuuuper lazy)...with the help of Gunther

2.) Fight traffic all the way to downtown Phoenix and eventually arrive at work
I totally stole this picture from my co-workers' Instagram.
Evan, if ever you're reading this...don't be mad.
I'll pay you royalties.
In soda.
From the cafeteria.

3.) Check the email
 Clearly there are pressing issues at hand.
We take our Tuesday Trivia very seriously.

4.) Then it's cube life all day baby! 

5.) To-do's

6.) And last but not least...fight traffic all the way back to the east valley

My evenings vary from day to day - but tonight the hubs and I spent a gift card at Olive Garden for dinner, watched night #2 of the So You Think You Can Dance Premiere, and laughed at politically incorrect jokes and potentially insensitive ethnic impressions...courtesy of yours truly, my husband. But I feel like you're allowed to be politically incorrect at home when no one's around, right? 

Aaaand there you have it. 
Fascinating right?!


Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Blog Everyday in May: Days 13 and 14

I'm a little behind on the Blog Everyday in May challenge, hosted by the lovely Jenni over Story of My Life

My tardiness might work out for the better considering Day 13's challenge is:
Issue a Public Apology

I, Carissa Townsend, would like to publically apologize for falling behind on the Blog Everyday in May challenge, and generally neglecting my blog as of late. I've not posted on my blog, nor have I read and/or commented on any of the blogs of my bloggy friends.
Since graduating with my Master's last Thursday, I've taken the time to lay around and do nothing.
And it's been marvelous.
I may give myself a few more days to continue doing nothing...or I may not.
I suppose it depends on my mood.
Cause I'm flexible now.
And I can do that.
But after that, I do intend to become a productive, and contributing member of society once again.
I thank you, in adavce, for the accepting of my apology.

...and scene.

Moving on.

Day 14 Blog Everyday in May Challenge is:
10 Things That Make You Really Happy
...I get happy just thinking about this prompt!

1.) My salvation in Jesus Christ
2.) Macaroni and Cheese
3.) Sunflowers
4.) My dogs
5.) A good belly laugh
6.) The American Flag
7.) Harry Potter...and the Sorcer's Stone, the Chamber of Secrets, the Prisoner of Azkaban, the Goblet of Fire, the Order of the Phoenix, the Half-blood Prince, and the Deathly Hallows   
8.) My Erin Condren Lifeplanner
9.) Mango margaritas
10.) When I'm right and my husband is wrong.
...that always makes me really happy.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Blog Everyday in May: Day 11


Today's prompt: sell yourself in 10 words or less

I have really good jokes that will make you pee.



The end.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Blog Everyday in May: Moment in Your Day


Linking up with Jenni today for Day 9 of the Blog Everyday in May challenge.

Today's prompt is: A moment in your day

I went and got me a Master's degree today.
So you know, it was kind of a big moment.

You'll probably be hearing more about it later.
Cause I'm pretty pumped about it.
I'm allowed to brag when I graduate right?


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Blog Everyday in May: Advice


I'm eight days late to this party...but it seems like a really fun party, so I'm about to crash it anyway.
 Luke Bryan wouldn't mind.
He told me I could crash his party anytime.
...see what I did there?

Jenni, from Story of My Life is hosting a blog everyday in May challenge and today's topic is:
A piece of advice you have for others.

I don't really give advice on this blog.
I'm kind of all over the place - I'm often late, my house is usually a mess, and I'm typically behind on what needs to get done.
So I just figure, what the heck kind of advice could I give?
"How to be late to family dinner and get your mom all mad at you"
People probably aren't looking for that kind of advice.

BUT in the spirit of the Blog Everyday in May challenge, I've forced myself to dig really really deep and offer you, the reader, a few nuggets of wisdom.

-Don't bite your nails right before you intend to kiss your husband.
He'll tell you you're gross and shoo you away

-If you haven't vacuumed in a few days and dog hair is collecting on your floors, don't close your hall closet doors too quickly,
or else you'll get a puff of animal fur in your face

-Always turn your headlights off before you open your garage, that way you're not shining a spotlight on your messy crap for all your neighbors to see

-If someone accidently spits on you while they're talking to you, it's ok to wipe it off.
Life's too short to have conversations with other people's saliva on your face
#aintnobodygottimeforthat

-Always tell corny jokes

-Always add "in bed" to the end of your fortune cookie fortune.
They're way better that way.

-The stink-eye is way more effective than the middle finger

and last but not least,

-Please oh please, always use proper grammar.
I promise, you'll go far in life


Tuesday, May 7, 2013

A Surprise Bridal Shower

Last weekend I went to California with my mom and sister to throw my soon-to-be cousin-in-law a surprise bridal shower. 
And since it's over now and the social media blackout has been lifted, I'm totally gonna blog about it.

My mom and aunt (the soon-to-be mother-in-law) have been sneaking around, planning this shower since October and we were all so excited to see it come to fruition!

We made our way out there on Friday and was fortunate enough to spend the day hanging out with our family that are usually all spread across different states.

We had lunch at a cool local BBQ restaurant my cousin Jeff knew of. 
It was delish AND we had the back patio to ourselves!
AND they had mac n' cheese.
Anything that has mac n' cheese always gets two thumbs up in my book. 

After lunch we made our way over to a really cool, really huge farmer's market in the Hollywood area.
And when I say "made our way" I mean very slowly.
Inch by inch.
And I was reminded why I could never live in California.
It's rush hour, every hour in California.
With God as my witness, I solemnly swear I will never again complain about rush hour 
traffic in Phoenix.
Amen.

So anyway, when we finally (and I do mean finally) got to the farmer's market it was pretty dang neat! 
There was fresh produce, and fresh meat and seafood and all that good stuff, but I felt way more compelled to take pictures of the desserts...especially when they looks like this:

We had such a good time hanging out all together for the afternoon!
We were even quiet whenever Brittany, the bride-to-be called, just like good boys and girls.
She didn't even know we were in town!

...another cousin pic for the history books.
Love.

Saturday was the big day! 
We spent the afternoon getting ready for the shower and before we knew it, it was go time!
Sister, mom, and me


Believe it or not, we all managed to actually keep it all a surprise. 
She had no idea!
Sneaky snakes we are...muahaha!...Ignore my obnoxious cackling in the video

The theme of the shower was time. 
So each person was assigned a time of day and had to pick out their gift accordingly. 
For example, I had "lunch time" and got them a panini-maker-grill-thingy (it's a technical term)
Someone else had "bed time" and got her the comforter set she registered for
...and so on and so forth.
Girlfriend did pretty good!
   
We also played a few games, of which if I may mention, I totally won.
I never win anything, so when I do I have to make it known.

One of my favorite bridal shower games is bridal trivia. 
Brittany was asked questions about Jeff and every time she got one wrong she had to put a piece of bubble gum in her mouth.
Usually those creating the questions try and make them trick questions so the bride-to-be ends up with a mouthful of bubble gum.
I can attest to this, cause it totally happened to me.
True story.

My mom had me play this game at my shower and I was doing so good she started pulling random questions out of nowhere and I ended up about gagging (and maybe even drooling a little) on all the bubble gum in my mouth.
So maybe I should retract my earlier statement:
This game may be one of my favorites when other people play it.
Brittany was a trooper though, she did good.

Brittany and her bridesmaids

My aunt Trudy, the soon-to-be mother-in-law

My mom, Aunt Trudy, and Aunt Marsha
              

The soon-to-be cousin-in-laws!

Group photo!
Operation surprise Brittany with a bridal shower: success!!
Before we left on Sunday we all got together one more time for some breakfast and (duh) more photos.

Oh, and sidenote, I'm a little totally in love with Jeff and Brittany's dog, Marley.
He's amazeballs.
And I want one.
I want a Marley.
The always necessary "big arms" pic!

Can't wait for the wedding in July!


Thursday, May 2, 2013

Weekend in the Vineyards

*Caution: picture overload ahead*

If I told you last weekend was pretty fun...it'd be an understatement.
It involved one of my best friends Tyah, from Humble Haro Abode...and wine.
So if this were a math equation it might look something like this:
Tyah+Carissa+wine=fun.

We drove down to southern Arizona for the Sonoita Wine Festival and the blessing of the vines.

We looooove Sonoita and all the wineries in the area! We've been making our way down there most every spring or summer since 2010.
Check out last summer's visit HERE.

Sidenote: this was on the stall in one of the bathrooms...I deemed it worth taking a picture of.

As always, we started out in the main house, enjoyed some wine tasting, some wine pairings, and some serious dodging of creepy, drunk, old men that wanted to take a picture with anything that walked and had long hair...although that part wasn't really enjoyable as much as it was annoying.
Man with grey hair and wrinkles...and chaps and spurs and cowboy boots, comes up to us and says, 
"look at you drinking wine. How old are you anyway?"
I told him I was forty.
But I don't think he believed me considering he rolled his eyes at me and told me I was funny.
He invited us to stay for dinner but we told him our husband's probably wouldn't be down for that. 

And on we went. 
We had wine to taste, and food to eat. I can't have creepy old men messing that up.
#aintnobodygottimeforthat


When it came time for the blessing of the vines we had a bit of a church service out front.
Local church leaders read a series of prayers, they sprinkled holy water on the vines, and prayed for the wine drinkers....and all God's people said Amen!
 

During festival weekends they offer wagon rides up into the vineyards and you can get the 411 on the land, the vines, the grapes, the history...and more wine. 
And Tyah and I aren't ones to pass up more wine.
So we said giddy up!

We finished at the main house with some more food and wine pairings and a stroll through 
the barrel room.

And on we went to our next, and favorite spot!

I think Tyah and I both agree, they have the BEST wines!

...that being said...we bought a lot of wine to take home with us.
I don't really wanna talk about it.

Before we left we made sure to fit in a photo sesh.
And since our husband's weren't with us this year, that means we could take as many pictures as we want, for as long as we want, without having to listen to them complain about it.
That's right, no wambulance this year.
No wamburgers or french cries either.
Just us, the camera, and the self-timer button.

And what do you do when you have unlimited picture taking time??
...You rearrange the signage that's directing traffic so you can get the perfect picture.

Don't get all crazy, if vehicles drove by...we pointed in the general direction.  


At the last winery, 2 things happened:
1.) We tasted more wine.
2.) We signed their guestbook...like so:
See, I'm an Arizona State Sundevil and Tyah is a University of Arizona Wildcat.
Normally, those two species don't really hang out.
BUT I forgave Tyah many years ago for becoming a wildcat and she's tolerated me all this time for being a sundevil.
So you know, we make it work.
And since we're both really bad at talking shiz, our smack-talk is usually something like,
"Go ASU!"
"OMG yeah right...go Uof A!"
"No pitty for the kitty!"
"Seriously, Rissa...A-S-Who?"
"That was a good one Tyah."
"Yours too Rissa."
...and then we're on with our day.

Saturday night we ended the day with dinner at Olive Garden.
Cause I'm pretty sure Olive Garden is a good way to end your day.

Then Sunday we worked on homework all day.
I know, we went from being really really fun on Saturday, to really really lame on Sunday.
#gradstudent probs
It's whatevs though.
We be gettin' smart.

Until Tyah comes back to visit me in the coming years, this will probably be our last wine festival together, as she and her husband will be stationed somewhere with the Marine's this fall.
Speaking of which...I've got a bone to pick with him.

Even so, I'd say we went out with a bang!


 

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